Tag: teaching in thailand

The Thai Ministry for Education plan on rolling out a train the trainer style scheme set on improving the English teaching skills of Government school teachers in a bid to cut back on the costs of hiring foreign teachers, according to the Bangkok Post this morning.

…. the ministry recently conducted a survey of the capability of Thai English-language teachers across the country and found more than 43,000 Thai English language teachers in public schools, but only six of them have been found to have the ability to achieve native-like fluency in English.

… and a six week training scheme is going to sort out the other 42,994 people?

The Thai teaching style is worlds apart from more progressive, Western countries and it does not lend itself well to the EFL classroom. Not only will the English language abilities of the teachers need to be brought up to near-native fluency, but their whole teaching philosophy will also need to be updated and transformed. In six short weeks.

I think it’s great that the Ministry for Education want to make improvements to their home grown teachers, and I do agree that relying on importing foreign teachers at a higher cost is not a long term goal. I just don’t know if this scheme is going to be the magic solution that they claim it is.

After three years living in Thailand I decided it was time I wrote my memoirs… this one may be a little too much information for some but if you can’t tell your diary, who can you tell?

My tummy had been doing somersaults since I had woken up but I had put it down to whatever undoubtedly spicy-fried-stuff-with-rice that I had eaten for dinner the night before. It’s not unusual to feel every single digestive movement within you when you are embracing the local food in Thailand.

Little did I know that there was a particularly pesky parasite harbouring within my body waiting to burst forth – quite literally – and make an appearance. Only time would reveal this, and my what timing Mr. Parasite had. I would soon find myself wishing I had listened to my gut’s grumbles with more attention but we all know that hindsight, and a rather memorable toilet (or lack thereof) experience, is a gift we cannot savour until it is already too late.

Perhaps someone reading this will learn something, and my experience will enable another to avoid what was unavoidably my fate. Read on and take note, dear reader.

As I have already said, I was embracing the local cuisine of Thailand’s deep south, and so I found myself heading over to a little khao geang (literally rice curry) place at breakfast time. It was owned by a lovely couple who would rise early to prepare an array of dishes to be laid out buffet-style for the customers to peruse and take their pick of. As is usual in these set ups, the shop was in the front of their house, backing on to the living room which they shared with the patrons. Unusual by Western standards but very much the norm here in Thailand. Another rather un-Western thing – customer toilets are few and far between in these types of establishments; this fact would become all too apparent all too quickly.

Grumble. Groan. Squelch. I looked at my breakfast of spicy-fried-stuff-with-rice and was unable to conjure up the slightest inkling of an appetite. Strangely enough, being able to feel your internal organs in action tends to be quite the appetite killer.

Grumble. Groan. GRUMBLE. GROAN. Suddenly the urgency with which my insides operated reached a peak with only one message. TOILET. NOW.

Mee hongnam mai ka? Possibly the single most important phrase to learn upon travelling to any foreign land – do you have a toilet?

The husband-wife curry shop duo looked at one another and then at me, in my white school shirt and pencil skirt. They started to explain that it’s their toilet, it’s no good for customers, especially not farang customers in tight skirts… but I was already up and heading to the back of the house where their gazes lead me. Tee nee ka? Here?

I was in there before they had time to answer but sure enough I found myself in what must be the family bathroom. A damp concrete square of a room with a concrete floor and only sky where a ceiling would normally take residence. Good for ventilation I suppose.

GRUMBLE. GROAN.

I desperately cast my eyes around, looking for the bog, the loo, the porcelain throne… nothing. There was a small container of water, adorned with wrung out flannels, an old bar of soap and a couple of toothbrushes. Next to that, a larger bin also full of water with a Winnie the Pooh children’s cereal bowl floating in it. A quick peek beyond and I found a hole in the ground. A hole, albeit encircled with a porcelain frame, as if to confirm that yes, this is in fact the toilet.

Full disclosure: I should probably apologise for the misleading title of this post – there was a toilet, just not the type that I am used to.

My pencil skirt was too tight to be hoicked up and so I whipped it off and flung it over my shoulder. I’ll save you the details of what happened next but let me tell you that Mr. Parasite put me through my paces. Epic toilet times – a rite of passage when adjusting to a life abroad but something best enjoyed (wrong word) in the privacy of one’s own home.

Something you learn quickly when you are traveling through or living in an Asian country is that there is a distinct lack of toilet tissue, especially in those countires that favour a bidet hose, or bum gun as I like to call it. In fact, you quickly learn that we have developed a whole load of unnecessary Westernised expectations when it comes to the toilet. We don’t need toilet seats, automatic flushes or jet powered hand dryers, but at some point we decided that we do. Had I had the time to think things through before my rush to the toilet I would have grabbed some paper towels from the table. Again, hindsight.

Unfortunately for me it was a double whammy. Not only was there no toilet but no bum gun either.

Panic started to set in. Do I shout for someone to bring me some tissue? There isn’t even a bin. Not an option. There I was, squatting askew a hole in the ground, half dressed with my skirt slung over my shoulder desperately looking for a post-toilet clean up solution.

There’s only so long one can stay in such a position without taking action. I was time to go truly native, armed with gallons of water, a Winnie the Pooh children’s cereal bowl and…

… my hand. Oh yes, native indeed.

Thank goodness there was an old bar of soap.

At the time I have to say that wasn’t one of my most pleasant mornings, but at least now I can look back and laugh, and I can face any toilet situation safe in the knowledge that it will never be that traumatic ever again.

I may look back and find this funny, but many people don’t even have a hole in the ground let alone clean water to wash with or even drink. Check out the gifts you can buy over at Water Aid to enable people to have access to clean water and village water systems.

This isn’t a sponsored post, I just want to make up for laughing at what is a daily occurrence for so many people around the globe.

With the entire world at our fingertips on the internet, it is completely possible to search for jobs on the other side of the world without even getting out of bed. Long gone are the days of lugging piles of CVs from place to place or of scouring the newspapers for jobs that had probably already been filled by the time you got in touch. Now we are able to have immediate access to the most up to date job opportunities out there – perfect for looking for a TEFL position in any destination of your choosing.

Before exploring any of the options laid out below, make sure you have an up to date and relevant CV, a working Skype account and email address, both of which don’t have inappropriate names (sexymama101 might not be as funny to a prospective employer as it is to your friends) or profile pictures. You may also be asked for scans of your degree certificate and transcript, your TEFL certificate and potentially a criminal record check. It helps to have all of these things already attached to a draft email so you are good to go without having to run around looking for a working scanner at the last minute.

Websites

Quick, easy and up to date – job sites provide a hassle free way to look for a job. Here area few websites that I have used myself when looking for a TEFL position;

ajarn.com specialises in jobs in Thailand and lets you search by area and salary

Dave’s ESL Cafe has country specific job boards for China, Korea and beyond

Be warned – some schools are notorious for posting ads and then never getting back to the applicant, filling the position in person with a friend of a friend – don’t be put off but be aware that you may not be flooded with responses! Persevere and over-apply – it’s always better to have a choice of job offers than becoming desperate and jumping into a position just because they said yes.

TOP TIP” be aware of and look out for scams asking for the applicant to spend hundreds of dollars in made up administration/application fees, or dodgy looking positions for phony companies.

Facebook

If you know which destination(s) you are looking at, do a few searches for expat facebook groups in the area. These groups are not only useful for meeting other expats living in the area but will also be a good place to find local job adverts that you may not find on national websites.

TOP TIP: Just because you are using an informal platform for your job search, it doesn’t mean that you should treat it any differently to any other enquiry about a position. Don’t just comment on the post – a well worded private message with a forwarding email to enable you to continue the enquiry outside of facebook is better.

REMEMBER! Potential employers can and do check out your facebook profile before considering hiring you – so either get those privacy settings on lock down or think hard before posting that picture of you doing shots on the bar on Saturday night.

Agency work

If you find yourself moving to your destination of choice and looking for work, consider working for a teaching agency. Yes, you should do your research first – ask around, try to speak to people who work for the agency to make sure that they are 100% legit (AKA can get you a visa and pay you a full salary). Agency work can range from being a substitute teacher to providing maternity cover or doing one off english camps. Many agencies are linked to a language school and so part-time evening and weekend work can become an option. It is definitely worth considering even just to make sure you have a bit of income while you look for a more permanent position of your own.

Agency work issue of contention in the TEFL world; many, many people have had their fingers burned by agencies and so tar them all with the same brush. You will hear tales of non payment, or broken contracts or visa troubles. I myself was placed with an agency after completing my TEFL Heaven course and I continued to work with them for 18 months with no issues. If anything, working for an agency meant that I got to void some of the pitfalls of working directly for a school – I was less involved in school politics and I knew that someone had my back if the proverbial hit the fan. If I had to take a day off sick, all my classes would be covered by the agency. All of my visa and work permit paperwork was processed by the agency with no problem. I never had a problem with unpaid tax bills. Yes, that agency must have been making some money off me but I earned exactly the same amount as my colleagues who were working directly for the school. Maybe I was just lucky.

TOP TIP: If you are looking at working in the south of Thailand (Hat Yai, Songkhla and around) and don’t mind working for an agency, go say hi to Visions and see if they can help you out.

The old fashioned way

While I don’t recommend rocking up in person at every school in your chosen destination (unless you are prepared to do a lot of aimless wondering around looking for someone who can speak englishand has the time to help you), a little bit of research can go a long way. Search the internet and find the local schools. Get an email contact (preferably the HR department) and try your luck with an email including your CV. Yes, many of those emails will bounce back. Yes, many of those emails will go unanswered. But, you may just have some luck. I actually got my last job doing just this. I sent out over 20 emails to schools in Phuket and of that 20 I had 3 replies, all of which were the standard we will keep your CV on file. I didn’t have much hope. However, 2 of those schools did keep my CV on file and did in fact get in touch when a job position came up. Having already made the first contact I was already on the minds of the HR department and was told about the job before it had been put on job websites, putting me at an immediate advantage.

TOP TIP: It’s not a good idea to send one blanket email to all 20 schools – they can easily see that your email is completely generic, and this makes it look like you aren’t putting much effort into your job search. Do a little bit of research and take the time to tailor each email that goes out. Sure, you can have the same main body but adding in those little details that show you have taken the time to actually think about the school you are contacting will make you stand out from all the other emails they get asking for jobs. It’s worth a shot!

It’s not what you know…

If you have already relocated and are frantically looking for a job, go and make friends with other teachers NOW. Not only will they be able to tell you which schools are best to be avoided, the teachers already on the ground will be the first to find out about job positions as soon as they come up and will be able to put in a good word for you. This is certainly the case in smaller communities where it really can be a matter of knowing the right person that will put your chances ahead of the rest.

Do you have another tried and tested method for finding a job? Please share in the comments below…

This video has been doing the rounds on Thai news websites and a number of TEFL teaching groups I’m in. Watching it, I was taken back to many a moment in my own time TEFL teaching in a Thai government school!

A loose translation of what the boy is saying, courtesy of Bangkok Post:

“They’re hiring you to teach. Why the &*$@ do you scratch your foot? Do your work! This is my country. Understand? I’m scolding you and you still don’t look at me. Animal! Monitor Lizard? Look at me!

“You’re wearing black. Are you going to your father’s funeral?

“You’re scratching your foot again. You have no manners.”

Although these words might not appear hugely offensive, cultural differences need to be taken into account. For example, you do not want to be called a monitor lizard (or a dog, or buffalo equally) in Thailand. The Thai word for monitor lizard, เหี้ย – hia (sounds like ‘here’) – is a very insulting name reserved for the worst of the worst.

He is clearly highlighting the fact that she has no idea about his country, referencing the fact that she is wearing all black (very much reserved for funerals only) and her foot scratching (feet are the dirtiest part of a person and should not be exposed or touched in public).

Thailand is still very traditional in its hierarchy, with regards to age and social standing. A person who is older than you, and who is your teacher, should be respected – unfortunately the fact that the teacher in this video is foreign means that this basic social rule is turned on it’s head and is captured on video for all to see.

In fact, it’s not the fact that she’s foreign at all, it’s the fact that she clearly doesn’t understand a word of what he is saying. But even if she can’t understand, part of me hopes that the mannerisms of the boy, the way he is talking at her, sneering and laughing – all of these things would have made me as the teacher realise that he was more than likely being rude.

I’m not saying there is anything wrong with what the teacher did. I’ve done my own fair share of ignoring the negative behaviour to try and not give it the attention it so desperately seeks. But if she had just looked up from her marking, had taken in the situation, perhaps she could have reacted in some way. It’s not always about knowing what is being said; the way it is being said and the reactions of others can often be enough to understand.

When I was fresh in the TEFL game my old trick was, if I got the impression that a student was being rude in class (whether about me directly or not) I would pretend that I understood, would looked shocked and would let them know that I wasn’t happy with that happening in my classroom. Nine times out of ten the student would be guilty and would apologise, the odd time I was met with huge protests and realsied that I had probably got the wrong end of the stick, I listened to their explanation and let it go (even if I still had no idea what was being said!).

The sad fact is that this video is not an isolated event. The Thai government classroom (at least at high school age) is full of students shouting unknown things either at the teacher or across the room. If I were to play devil’s advocate I could say that this is a natural reaction of a teenage boy who has a foreign teacher who doesn’t know the first thing about his country or his language. Perhaps TEFL teachers should be better prepared during training to be able to spot this kind of behaviour, or should understand enough Thai to be able to listen out for insulting or rude language. But the fact is that this would categorically never happen in a classroom with a Thai teacher. Was it her lack of knowledge? Or a lack of manners on his part? Wherever the blame lies, it shouldn’t be happening in any classroom in any country.

Have you been in a similar situation? How did you react? How would you have reacted if you were the teacher in this video? I’d be interested to know – please share in the comments below.

I’m on school holidays (six weeks – thank you British international schooling in Thailand!) and so I haven’t been blogging because I’ve been spending a lot less time on the laptop and a lot more time out in the sunshine, when it’s not raining…

In a bid to save money (I’m only being partially paid for this mega break as I’m a newbie) I’ve been doing lots of cheap yet time consuming things like… my new roof top garden!

With the purchase of Harold came a lot of opportunities to drive him to places and fill him with stuff that would usually require acrobatic motorbike skills that even T and I haven’t mastered over the past 2 years, including one time where we managed to move house in a single journey (OK so we didn’t have a bed or anything massive but still – a lot of stuff and things were balanced on our little 110 cc bike).

Not quite there with the balancing act yet…

So we have been driving to garden centres and buying plants to pretty up the roof terrace and also provide a bit of privacy as we finally have next door neighbours who also have a roof terrace right next to ours and if I’m to continue lounging about in a bikini then I need some sort of privacy protection (more so to protect them from my nakedness…!). We got a lime tree for 150THB – that’s less than 3 quid! At these prices, what started off as a few plants quickly transpired to become sowing seeds for a variety of flowers and, more excitingly, edibles – actual food stuffs that we can eat! If we can grow it… and if Brian the resident alley cat doesn’t shit on the coriander again.

This is my second attempt at gardening – my first was very abruptly cut short by a man in a van crashing through a 20 ft wall that backed onto my garden and rendering it an ‘at risk’ area for the whole summer a few years ago. I’m finding it all quite exciting and I realise that this makes me a) quite lame, b) old before my time and c) a very boring blogger but it really is helping to take up lots of time pottering and prodding and watering and re-potting. I will admit, T is actually spearheading the gardening front and I am mostly watching and assisting in my own way. Still, it’s filling the never ending school break quite nicely.

Also, T made his manly stamp on the garden space by going out and buying some wood and a saw and making us a table and a bench from scratch. Furniture is either stupidly over priced or horrifically cheap and plastic in Thailand so it’s nice to have a bit of solid handmade goodness to rest on. Again, I mostly watched and made pots of coffee and I also held some screws. And some wood.

As this is all taking place on our rooftop at the front of the house, the whole neighbourhood are more than aware and are most entertained by this foreign spectacle. Two residents in particular, Mrs. Nosey and Mr. Topless Friendly Man have been particularly intrigued and I’m all too aware that very soon they will probably be inviting themselves upstairs to have a look – they probably think we are growing some crazy farang foods so they will be most disappointed to find chillies, citrus and Thai herbs and nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe it would be better to leave it to their imaginations, that would make us much more interesting…!